February 15, 2010
04:00 PM (EST)

News Release Number: STScI-2010-09

Hubble Captures Saturn's Double Light Show

February 15, 2010: In January and March 2009, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope took advantage of a rare opportunity to record Saturn when its
rings were edge-on, resulting in a unique movie featuring the nearly
symmetrical light show at both of the giant planet's poles. It takes Saturn
almost thirty years to orbit the Sun, with the opportunity to image both of its
poles occurring only twice during that time. The 2009 Hubble Advanced
Camera for Surveys data used in this movie have allowed astronomers to
monitor the behavior of Saturn's poles in the same shot over a sustained
period of time and to analyze the planet's northern and southern lights
simultaneously.